The correct way to carry big lenses

Post #619227

I've heard horror stories about how to carry big lenses, and that if you attach your camera strap to your camera while you have a large lens mounted, you risk damage to your cameras and lens mounts. Just to be clear, you can attach your camera strap to the lens foot right?

So what do you do when you have a camera strap that doesn't have quick release? Lately I have been looking at one of those Hyperion colored straps, however there aren't any quick releases. So what would you do?

Post #619243

In a worse case scenario, if you haven't a strap for the lens, you carry the camera by the lens. If you're using a mono or tri pod, then by the pod. If possible, toss the lens, pod and camera over your shoulder. Wrap your camera strap around your wrist/shoulder/neck to keep it out of the way and as a backup if you lose your grip. Always make sure there is slack in the camera strap. If possible, carry the lens in its case/bag until you arrive at your setup/photo position.

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Post #619248

Yes, you can use the lens foot for the strap. Cameras
are able to support their own
weight very well. That being said, I wouldn’t let it swing around. Be sure to support it
because a hard hit against something with a large lens on can cause quite a shock to a mount.

After I bought my monopod, I rarely used my strap again. You can sling it over your shoulder while it’s on a monopod, so it’s not terrible to carry around

Post #623664

I have the old version of the AF Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 with no tripod mount. I use it on a D750 w/ battery grip. That lens is known for having a fragile auto-manual focus switch/ring, so I'm hesitant to loop a strap around it so I can support the load by the lens.

When not hand-holding this rig by the lens, I let it hang, lens pointed straight down, by the neck strap; I don't have much choice. To minimize stress on the lens mount, I only let it hang like this when I'm not moving. It still stresses me out that I may be stressing the lens/camera body out!

I will look for a strong but soft flat nylon double-loop strap so I can put a girth hitch around the lens body and clip the neck strap to it. I have some climbers web strap I can have someone sew me one up with if I can't find a pre-made strap that is suitable.